The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Marguerite Daisy plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and referred to by the cultivar name `Summer Stars Pink`.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop compact, freely-flowering Marguerite daisies good inflorescence form and floret color.
The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in September, 1995, of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as number X943817.2, as the male or pollen parent, with a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as number X931909.1, as the female or seed parent. The cultivar `Summer Stars Pink` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Glenfield, New South Wales, Australia.
Plants of the new Marguerite Daisy are paler pink in ray floret color, have finer foliage and flower earlier than plants of the male parent, the selection number X943817.2.
Plants of the new Marguerite Daisy are darker pink in ray floret color and differ in inflorescence form compared to plants of the female parent, the selection number X931909.1.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, has shown that the unique features of this new Marguerite Daisy are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.